The Role of Rumors in Informal Learning
Author : Rey Jude P. Agana
Publisher : Univerlagtuberlin
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 26,94 MB
Release : 2007
Category : Education
ISBN : 3798320527
Author : Rey Jude P. Agana
Publisher : Univerlagtuberlin
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 26,94 MB
Release : 2007
Category : Education
ISBN : 3798320527
Author : Sara Lynn Stellatella
Publisher :
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 11,23 MB
Release : 2020
Category : Communication
ISBN :
Communication is imperative to business (Chancellor, Layous, Margolis, & Lyubomirsky, 2017; Downs & Adrian, 2004). Successful formal workforce communications are timely and appropriate with expressed limitations, and have positive impacts on productivity and employee wellbeing (Downs & Adrian, 2004; Smidts, Pryun, & van Riel, 2001). Conversely, misinformation and inadequate data elevate employee stress levels and lead to reliance on collective sense-making within one's intimate social network (Bordia, Jones, Gallois, Callan, & DiFonzo, 2006; DiFonzo & Bordia, 2007a, 2007b). Social networks are a system of interpersonal bonds that form through regular engagements (Nelson, 1989; Rank, Robbins, & Pattison, 2010); rumors, defined as unsubstantiated, relevant statements, are one means in which employees collectively cope within the network (Bordia et al., 2006; DiFonzo & Bordia, 2000, 2007a; Rosnow, 2001). This research seeks to determine factors that may inhibit and promote rumors, specifically "How does dissimilarity influence the rumor network? What is the role of the communication climate?" The management team of a mid-Atlantic federal organization served as the sample population. Data collection included archival demographics from the sample site's Human Resource department and a one-time online survey to gather respondent rumor network ties, sentiment toward organizational communication and justice perceptions, and dissimilarity variables. I studied the rumor network attributes (informal and formal communication network comparison, dominant network threshold state, and ego network density) to evaluate information flow and network features that influence rumor participation. Organizational communication was evaluated through general organizational perspective and horizontal informal communication satisfaction regarding the dissemination of external influences and overall performance and interactions within one's peer group (Downs & Adrian, 2004; Downs & Hazen, 1977). I utilized formal procedure and interactional justice to understand the influence that employee fairness perceptions of formal policies and supervisory implementation of those policies may have on rumor engagement and communication satisfaction (Moorman, 1991). Educational level and functional specialty were employed to assess the association of informational dissimilarity and one's propensity to share rumors with like and unlike others. I performed linear regressions and t-tests to analyze my hypotheses. My findings support the notion that the formal and informal networks are different, highlighting that informal social ties present more opportunity for rumor engagement than formal ties. Additionally, the dominant network threshold state (positively) and ego network density (negatively) influence one's participation in the rumor network. The effect of informational dissimilarity was partially supported with a positive association between functional similarity and rumor sharing, while educational and functional dissimilarity were not significant. The results also do not corroborate an impact of communication satisfaction or justice perceptions on rumor activity. However, a positive interaction was identified between communication satisfaction and justice perceptions. For practical application, I recommend that management evolve from mere rumor control to leveraging the rumor network. Organizations can harness the pre-existing networks of social (rumor) influencers to parallel formal communication, enhancing clarity and affirmation of workforce messages. As functional similarity and shared organization department are positively associated with rumor sharing, I suggest that supervisors assess the valence of rumors and whether engagement interferes with productivity or if the collective sense-making encourages social bond formation. If the valence is positive and the rumor is not disruptive, the bonding interaction may promote collaboration in other workplace scenarios. Organizational leadership should also give attention to ensure all parties are considered and represented in policy formation as the fairness of formal procedures has a positive influence on communication satisfaction. Additionally, I suggest a period evaluation of management teams perceptions of communication satisfaction and justice as their sentiments are found to diffuse throughout the total workforce (Ambrose, Schminke, & Mayer, 2013; Degoey, 2000; Masterson, Lewis, Goldman, & Taylor, 2000).
Author :
Publisher : ESIC
Page : 431 pages
File Size : 27,8 MB
Release : 2023-11-20
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 8411707105
Author : M. Wade Mahon
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 29,60 MB
Release :
Category :
ISBN : 3031647998
Author : Mary W. Kiura
Publisher :
Page : 104 pages
File Size : 28,6 MB
Release : 2018
Category :
ISBN : 9780438475069
Informal social networks, and by extension informal communications, are ubiquitous in organizational settings. Although organizational communication scholars have studied these networks, a majority of these studies indicate that informal social networks have both benefits and drawbacks to the overall performance of the organization. However, these studies, particularly the ones focusing on gossip and rumors within the networks, posit that drawbacks are more prevalent than benefits. Likewise, previous literature fails to address the role of culture within the informal social networks. Therefore, the present study investigated the impact of informal social networks on employee productivity in Kenyan organizations. Given that a majority of the conversations within the networks involve gossiping, which sometimes is confused with spreading rumors (Dunbar, 2004), the first section of study quantitatively examines whether employee gossip and rumor, independently, predict their productivity, while the second section investigates the role of culture within social networks as well as the benefits and/or limitations associated with these networks. The results indicated that gossip and rumors lead to improved productivity among employees. Further, results found that Kenyan culture influenced the messages shared within these networks. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the findings are discussed in detail.
Author : Steven G. Rogelberg
Publisher : SAGE
Page : 1169 pages
File Size : 22,44 MB
Release : 2007
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 1412924707
Publisher description
Author : Shaul Oreg
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 351 pages
File Size : 39,12 MB
Release : 2013-04-18
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 1107020093
This volume examines organizational change from the employee's perspective.
Author : John R. Schermerhorn
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 643 pages
File Size : 46,93 MB
Release : 2011
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0470646241
Completely updated and revised, this eleventh edition arms managers with the business tools they’ll need to succeed. The text presents managerial concepts and theory related to the fundamentals of planning, leading, organising, and controlling with a strong emphasis on application. It offers new information on the changing nature of communication through technology. Focus is also placed on ethics to reflect the importance of this topic, especially with the current economic situation. This includes all new ethics boxes throughout the chapters. An updated discussion on the numerous legal law changes over the last few years is included as well. Managers will be able to think critically and make sound decisions using this text because the concepts are backed by many applications, exercises, and cases.
Author : Greg Dalziel
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 222 pages
File Size : 38,15 MB
Release : 2013-07-18
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 1135044406
New communication technology has transformed the way in which news about key events is communicated. For example, in the immediate aftermath of catastrophic events such as the Mumbai attacks or the Japanese tsunami, partial accounts, accurate and inaccurate facts, rumour and speculation are now very rapidly disseminated across the globe, often ahead of official announcements and formal news reporting. Often in such situations rumours take hold, and continue to characterise events even after a more complete, more accurate picture eventually emerges. This book explores how such rumours are created, disseminated and absorbed in the age of the internet and mobile communications. It includes a wide range of examples and, besides considering the overall processes involved, engages with scholarly debates in the field of media and communication studies.
Author : Ad van Iterson
Publisher : John Benjamins Publishing
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 17,42 MB
Release : 2002-01-01
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9789027233097
Topics covered in this title include: organizing discourse; negotiating boundaries; crossing cultures; and theorizing practice.